Tulsi Gabbard’s exit as director of national intelligence from the Trump administration is sparking questions about who could be next.
Gabbard announced Friday that she would step down, effective June 30, citing her husband’s diagnosis with a rare form of bone cancer. Her departure comes after months of reported friction with the White House over Iran and her standing inside the administration.
The former Hawaii congresswoman had increasingly found herself sidelined on national security matters after publicly testifying that Iran was not actively building a nuclear weapon prior to the administration’s military strikes. President Donald Trump publicly brushed aside that assessment earlier this year, telling reporters that he didn’t “care what she said.”
Gabbard’s resignation is the fourth Cabinet vacancy since the start of this year.
Lori Chavez-DeRemer was forced out as labor secretary in April after being engulfed by scandal and rumors that she had engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staffer. Pam Bondi later departed as attorney general after backlash over her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and frustration among Trump allies that the Justice Department was not moving aggressively enough against the president’s political opponents.
Earlier this year, Kristi Noem was removed as Homeland Security secretary after approving a multimillion-dollar taxpayer-funded ad campaign featuring herself and later appearing to suggest Trump had signed off on the effort when he had not.
Now, with Gabbard’s exit, there lies increasing speculation over who could be next to leave Trump’s orbit.
Kash Patel
Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel has faced a steady stream of controversies in recent months.
He drew criticism over social media posts showing him drinking alongside members of the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team, as well as his use of an FBI aircraft to attend a concert by his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins. He also faced backlash for directing agents to drive one of her reportedly intoxicated friends home.
Patel is suing the Atlantic for $250 million in damages plus any proceeds from an article that alleged frequent drunkness and “unexplained absences” of the FBI director. The complaint filed by Patel’s attorneys called the article a “sweeping, malicious, and defamatory hit piece.”
Questions have also mounted over his handling of politically sensitive investigations, including the investigation into Charlie Kirk’s murder, with critics arguing his approach blurred the line between politics and law enforcement. He was further faulted for prematurely announcing an arrest tied to the December shootings at Brown University before the suspect was released.
Adding to the pressure, the FBI confirmed earlier this year that Patel’s personal Gmail account was hacked, with some personal information accessed. The bureau said the material was “historical in nature” and did not involve government information, though the breach, claimed by an Iranian-linked group, has intensified scrutiny.
Howard Lutnick
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has faced continued scrutiny over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The controversy has lingered over the administration since the Justice Department’s chaotic rollout of the so-called Epstein files.
Lutnick and Epstein were once neighbors in New York City, but the commerce secretary has repeatedly insisted they had no formal relationship and only limited interactions.
The secretary was called to testify before the House oversight committee earlier this month, where he detailed his three meetings with Epstein, including a visit to the late financier’s private island. Lutnick told the panel the visit was with his family for a brief lunch.
HOWARD LUTNIK TESTIFIES ON HIS EPSTEIN TIES BEFORE HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
Lutnick also told the committee he never saw Epstein with any young women and never witnessed anything inappropriate. The secretary did tell the committee, however, that upon a tour of Epstein’s home in Manhattan, he saw a massage table and decided to end the visit after feeling uncomfortable.
Democrats seized on alleged inconsistencies between his public statements and prior accounts of how well he knew Epstein, fueling renewed calls for his resignation and adding to speculation about his long-term standing inside the Trump administration.
Naomi Lim and Samantha-Jo Roth contributed to this story.